Electric axle with differential sun gear disconnect clutch
AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorBrian Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electric axle is configured to selectively enable an electric motor to power a drive shall of a vehicle. The electric axle includes a differential planetary gearset configured to transmit drive torque to a drive shaft. The differential planetary gearset has a sun gear configured to circumscribe the drive shaft. A clutch is configured to selectively non-rotatably couple the sun gear to the drive shaft. The clutch may include a sleeve moveable in an axial direction.
Claims17
An electric axle configured to selectively enable an electric motor to power a drive shaft of a vehicle, the electric axle comprising:
- a differential planetary gearset configured to transmit drive torque to a drive shaft, the differential planetary gearset having a sun gear configured to circumscribe the drive shaft;
- a clutch configured to selectively non-rotatably couple the sun gear to the drive shaft, wherein the clutch includes a sleeve configured to move in an axial direction, wherein the sleeve selectively engages the sun gear when moved in the axial direction into a locked or engaged mode;
- and
- a spring wrapped about the sleeve and configured to return the sleeve to an unlocked or disengaged mode.
An electric axle for a drive shaft, the electric axle comprising:
- a housing;
- a differential planetary gearset disposed at least partially within the housing, the differential planetary gearset including a sun gear rotatable within the housing, the sun gear having an inner surface defining teeth;
- and
- a sleeve disposed radially inward of the sun gear, the sleeve having an outer surface defining teeth that mesh with the teeth of the sun gear;
- wherein the sleeve is axially-moveable between (i) unlocked or disengaged position in which the sun gear can rotate independently of a drive shaft, and (ii) a locked or engaged position in which the sleeve non-rotatably couples the sun gear with the drive shaft.
An electric axle comprising:
- a planetary gearset including a sun gear;
- a sleeve sized to be fitted about a drive shaft, the sleeve configured to move in an axial direction in a gap between the sun gear and the drive shaft;
- and
- an actuator assembly configured to force the sleeve in the axial direction to selectively non-rotatably lock the sleeve with both the sun gear and the drive shaft;
- wherein the sleeve includes an inner surface defining teeth that selectively mesh with the drive shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.